BUSHMAN'S REVENGE

BUSHMAN'S REVENGE are a trio out of Norway not too unlike label mates HEDVIG MOLLESTAD TRIO. Both are guitar, drums and bass and these are players! Man so much talent. The guitarist for BUSHMAN'S REVENGE does the same for GRAND GENERAL a band I love to pieces. So the boys did some recording in July from the 13 to 15 back in 2011 and the result was two albums. Companion albums you could say as this one and "A Little Bit Of Big Bonanza" were released in 2012 and it's kind of cool that the one I'm reviewing is all covers except for their own song to open the record while on "A Little Bit Of Big Bonanza" the opener is a cover( from "Ask The Ages" by Sonny Sharrock) and the rest are originals. Inverted companion albums? Kind of cool indeed.

So 4 stars for mostly covers doesn't sound right except that I don't know any of these songs except for the longest and the centre piece of this album "War Pigs" by BLACK SABBATH and they crush it. This is an all instrumental record of course and it's amazing to hear the guitar playing Ozzy's vocals in a different tone from earlier. They just nail this one though and I know SABBATH is one of their favourite bands. They do it justice. Again the drummer, bass player and guitarist are just so impressive. That was my favourite track on here but check out "Lonely Woman" my second favourite and an Ornette Coleman original. It's that mood with the Rypdal-like guitar that just blows me away. Melancholy as the drummer just flat out beats the tune into submission. But it's the guitar so Rypdal-like that brings "Whenever I Seem So Far away" to mind. Just screaming after 5 minutes.

"No Time This Time" is an uptempo tune originally done by THE POLICE. The guitar lights it up and the drumming and bass are both killer. Next is a SUN RA cover "We Travel The Spaceways" and this is where the bass player just earned a reputation. Come on! Almost forgot about that BOB HUND cover sounding so 60's at least the guitar. So catchy. They end it with a PIXIES cover "Monkey Gone To Heaven". Catchy and fairly heavy too. I like when the guitar changes tone before a minute and when he lights it up before 3 minutes.

This band knows how to have some fun and I certainly had that every time I spun this record. Just too good to go lower than 4 stars.

I like the sound of this record, I like the guitar lines, all the music creates an atmosphere of calm, smooth and intense at the same time, a well organized chaos is created by the guitar, I like this type of records where each song It's expressive, it makes you feel like you're inside the music, it takes you to another level. I like when the guitar is distorted and bluesy, when the guitar smells to the 70's, all this fuses with jazz music, with a solid section of drums and bass, this record is perfect for me because it is jazz music but with an addition of a impressive guitar.

It's been a strange year for me to say the least so I'm not too surprised that this has carried over into my favourite picks of 2016. I can't get over how many albums this year from bands I enjoy seem to be a step down from their previous works. Mostly they've either become more commercial sounding or they've changed their style somewhat. There of course are exceptions to this thankfully, and I'm going to be quite happy with my "Best of 2016" list but for me overall this is an off year. Interesting that BUSHMAN'S REVENGE released two albums close together, sort of a ying versus yang thing kind of like OPETH and DJAM KARET have done in the past along with some other bands. My experience with these generally is that I really like the one but not the other. And here's another example of this as they've released this traditional sounding Jazz album, going back to their roots, their first love you could say, while "Bushman's Fire" the live one is what I'm used to hearing from this band, from a lights out, slow burn to being completely on fire. Yes the live album smokes, the studio one not so much.

While this studio album could be called Contemperary jazz it isn't normal because... well this is BUSHMAN'S REVENGE so we get guitar added to the stuffiness and not just guitar, it's distorted and bluesy like Hendrix at times while at other times it's very melancholic bringing Terje Rypdal to mind. The album's title means "Jazz From Memory" a hint at how this is their roots. The guitarist also mentioned that they wanted to explore the link between the Shorter/ Coltrane world and the electric Blues/ Hendrix world. This is really annoying to listen to if your not giving it your complete attention, and that's probably just my dislike for traditional sounding Jazz.

"Contemplation" is one of two covers they did here. This one is a McCoy Tyner track and it's quite laid back early on with mournful guitar and a relaxed beat. The guitar becomes more prominent after 2 minutes as is the drumming. The guitar is lighting it up starting before 4 minutes. "0500" opens with bass only and it sounds like an upright bass. Cymbals and guitar join in around the 2 minute mark. The tempo picks up as well until they are kicking ass. I really like the guitar and drumming here. It settles back some around 7 minutes in.

"Bo Marius" starts off slow with atmosphere along with relaxed guitar and beat. It starts to become more intense when the guitar starts to light it up and the drums pound before settling back late as it ends like it began. "Gamle Plata Til Arne" has rumbling drums and fuzzed out guitar expressions in this dark piece with lots of depth. Things do become more intense after 6 minutes, especially as the guitar grinds away. "Angels" is a cover of an Albert Ayers tune. Picked guitar and some impressive bass before rumbling drums join in. This is tough going. It's getting insane before 6 minutes as they all decide to set the soundscape on fire. The guitar is crying out ala Rypdal but then it all calms down very late to end it. "Lola Mit Dem Gorgon Zola" is a traditional jazz tune all the way.

This just isn't my scene but the live one they released called "Bushman's Fire" certainly is my scene. If your more into the Contemporary Jazz style I still don't know if you'd like this because of the guitar. 3 stars.

BUSHMAN'S REVENGE are from Norway and they have a lot in common with label mates ELEPHANT9, although the latter just added a guitarist which they didn't originally have, and BUSHMAN'S REVENGE just added organ to their sound in 2010 and it happened to be the ELEPHANT9 keyboardist back then. You just have to look at the album cover to know they are on the Rune Grammofon label. These guys formed in 2003 and are fans of CREAM, SUN RA, BLACK SABBATH, Hendrix, Alice Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and others. The music here seems improvised as they seem to jam a lot but there is composed material here as well. It's quite heavy at times and spacey as well but the phrase that keep coming to mind was "slow burn". Man I love this style of music. This trio adds one guest who plays Hammond, Prophet 5 synths and Clavinet.

"I Am An Astronaut" is powerful with that floating organ and the drums are very fast paced. They are just kicking ass. I'm actually moved by this and I do love to fly. "Baklengs Inn I Fuglekassa" is the longest piece at over 17 minutes. It sounds like clavinet and guitar to start as a crazy drum roll at 1 minute signals the start of heaviness. Heavy drums and deep bass lines help in that department as the guitar starts to solo over top. Synths help out as well as they jam. Man this is some heavy [&*!#] 6 minutes in and they climax just before 7 minutes. This is followed by plenty of atmosphere as bass, drums and laid back guitar helps out. It settles back before 12 minutes as it becomes very spacey. Listen to that angry organ just boiling away after 13 minutes. There's so much power here as it builds and cries out. You'd think it's going to explode but then before 14 minutes it settles back as that familiar melody returns. My God! The drumming is fantastic as the guitar rips it up.

"Waltz Me Baby, Waltz Me All Night Long" is slow paced with bass, drums, picked guitar and some atmosphere. It becomes more powerful before 3 1/2 minutes as the organ floats in heavily. Man this is so good! It settles back late. "Kugelin Und Kraut" is almost 14 1/2 minutes in length. Heavy fuzzed out guitar starts it off as the drums and bass join in quickly. The organ joins in as well and then the guitar withdraws as we get some filthy organ leading the way before 2 minutes. It's picking up speed. The guitar replaces the organ before 3 1/2 minutes but then we get some nasty organ riffs as the guitar continues. The guitar plays over top before 6 minutes. These guys are jamming hard as we get a wall of sound. Organ to the fore after 9 minutes. A change follows as it slows down some but remains powerful. Lots of wah wah with the guitar after 12 minutes. "Hurra For Mamma" is the short 2 minute closer with picked guitar, shuffling drums and mellotron flute-like sounds. A mellow end to the slow burn that was.

Thankyou Bearded Bard for bringing this band to my attention.